The present invention relates to a free standing support device to assist a person to come to a standing position from a sitting or lying position.
When a person has become ill or injured or is weak from age, it becomes difficult to come to a standing position from either a sitting position or a lying position. Many devices have been devised to provide the necessary assistance.
Most desirably, a support device will be free-standing without a base mat in order to allow easy placement and removal of the device either by the person needing the device or an assistant. Furthermore any such device must be stable so as to allow the person to pull on the device when requiring assistance. The device should be a simple device and easy to manufacture at relatively low cost. It also is desirable for the device to be dismantled easily so as to allow storage in a small area. In addition, the support device should be utilizable along side a bed or with a chair to allow the person to assume a standing position.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,176,322 to Mulcahy provides a bedside support which has two guard rail type ends spaced apart with support on one side of the guard rails which support would be placed against the bed when using the device. Two further support bars which extend backward under the mattress are also provided. The device however, does not allow one to readily swing ones legs over the side of the bed after the device is in place. Hence, a person using the device would require assistance at the time of use of the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,553,746 to Seiger provides a support device which consists of a single post supported by a support mechanism which is I-shaped and lying on the floor. The single post extends upwardly from the I support and has gripping means on each side of the post. A portion of the I support to one side of the post is slipped under the bed for stability. A person using the device however, when using two hands to attempt to stand would find the mechanism immediately in front of them and hence would need to either have the mechanism removed or step to the side from the mechanism to walk away from the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,668,723 to Bratton provides a patient riser which consists of two vertical posts having parallel bars placed between the posts, the posts being positioned up against the bed and subsequently after the patient is in a seated position, a U-shaped configuration of horizontal parallel bars is positioned around the patient with the front open and the bottom portion being affixed to the top of the vertical posts. This configuration does not assist the patient in getting from a prone position to a sitting position and furthermore, would require assistance by another party to place the horizontal portion in position before the patient could use the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,090 to Johansson provides a movable support bar which bar can be affixed to the floor or to the side of a chair or bed to allow a patient to pull on the bar to come to a seated or standing position. The support bar requires affixing the mechanism to a stable base such as the floor, a bed, or a chair.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,022 to Coonrod provides a patient assist device having a base and a single patient support structure coupled with the base and if desired, a means for coupling the device to the article of furniture to prevent movement of the apparatus relative to the article of furniture. In order to use the device, the person must place their feet on the base of the device and then utilize the device. Such a device does not assist one for rising from a lying position to a sitting position and in order to be stable, the device needs to be coupled to an article of furniture.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,666 to Kippes provides a transfer aid for assisting people with restricted mobility to rise from a seated position to a standing position. The device is substantially U-shaped and is in front of and along each side of the person using the device. Hence, when the user arises from a seated position to a standing position, the device is still surrounding the user on three sides, thereby requiring assistance from another person to remove the device so the user can then continue to move to a different position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,028 to Frala provides a portable support apparatus consisting of a single handrail extending vertically from the floor with several support pieces lying on the floor and attached to the rail. When using this device, only one hand provides assistance and when standing, a portion of the forwardmost base lies in front of the standing person such that the user must step over the support before commencing to walk.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,432 to Peterson provides a complex device with a base mat and four posts with stabilizing bars between each set of two posts. The device does not easily dissassemble nor does it allow for swinging one leg over the side rail to move from a lying position to a sitting position and thence to a standing position.
The present invention provides a free standing support device without a base mat, to assist a person to come to a standing position from a sitting or lying position such that the device is easily portable, may be easily dismantled to allow compact storage, provides support for both hands and is very stable.